Death Before Life
by J-Dove
Summary: When Harry died, he chose to move on. Who would have guessed that after death came ponies, friends, and even... romance? But that can wait until later. Right now he has to deal with hiding his status as an alicorn prince. Cousin!Rarity Cousin!Swetiebelle HarryxOc Yaoi Alternate Universe AU Maybe some lemons in later chapters...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I have another fanfiction account! It's called tatata03. The reason I have two accounts is because I want to have one with only M rated stuff, and the other with T and below (three guesses of which is which, and the first two don't count).**

 **This is AU!**

 **I copied a bit from the book when writing this chapter, so at first the italicized stuff is copy and paste.  
**

"Talking"

 _-Parseltongue-_

 _Thinking or Flashback_

 **Chapter 1**

 _He lay facedown, listening to the silence. He was perfectly alone. Nobody was watching. Nobody else was there. He was not perfectly sure that he was there himself._

What a relief it was, nary a soul but his own. None to know him, judge him, _use_ him-

 _It had the form of a small, naked child, curled on the ground, its skin raw and rough, flayed-looking, and it lay shuddering under a seat where it had been left, unwanted, stuffed out of sight, struggling for breath._

What if when he saw that pitiful creature, he wanted to help it?

 _Dumbledore smiled at Harry, and Harry stared at him. "And you knew this? You knew—all along?"_

Harry was tired. These circles he ran in, the hoops he jumps through-they had ceased being bearable, and had become tortuous. He wanted to move on already.

 _"Can you forgive me?" Dumbledore said. "Can you forgive me for not trusting you? For not telling you?"_

What if Harry was a bit more cynical, a bit less naive?

 _"You are the true master of death, because the true master does not seek to run away from Death. He accepts that he must die, and understands that there are far, far worse things in the living world than dying."_

Harry held out a hand to that small, pitiful creature. He did not recoil in disgust, and waited patiently until its shuddering form shifted towards him hopefully, milky white eyes unseeing. "Let's go on, shall we?" Harry said.

 _"I was such a fool, Harry. After all those years I had learned nothing. I was unworthy to unite the Deathly Hallows. I had proved it time and again, and here was the final proof."_

...What if?

* * *

Harry woke up in a small body, too weak to move. He reflexively let out a low wail and gazed around blearily, as his eyesight seemed even worse than when he took off his glasses.

A white and blue blur moved towards him, before stopping a short ways before touching. "Doll, it's making noises!" she-for it was indeed a she-said in distaste.

"Foals generally do that, Dearest," a calm, male voice said soothingly. He moved at the edge of Harry's vision, steel-grey and black.

 _Foal? Am I a horse?_

"Then make it stop! I finally got discharged from the hospital, for _giving birth_ no less, and it persists in making this awful racket as soon as I arrive back in the mansion!" 'Dearest' wined.

Harry blinked a bit, and his eyesight cleared slightly, but not enough to make out the people around him.

A clattering sound was heard before 'Doll' spoke. "Lydia, please care to the foal."

"Yes, M'lord," a new voice said, high and feminine. Harry felt himself being lifted up in the air, but no hands held him. A strange tingling sensation covered him, an orange film hovering over his eyes, and he hiccupped before resuming his wails. He wished she found what was wrong soon. For some reason, he was unable to stop crying.

'Dearest' had not stopped complaining in the time that had elapsed. "-and on top of all that, the Namebearer we personally paid for _months_ in advance is late!" she said irritably. Harry had a feeling she was always irritated.

"Now, Dearest, it cannot be helped. We hired the best for our child, and we knew she was a bit... eccentric," 'Doll' said humouringly.

Just then, a knocking sound was heard.

"Finally," 'Dearest' huffed. Someone opened the door with a click, presumably another servant, and a blur of green stepped forward. Everyone focused on the newcomer, except for Lydia, who coaxingly held a bottle to his lips... somehow still without him seeing her.

When the person finally spoke, it was with a dreamy, lilting voice that reminded him of Luna. "This is the child of Diamond Leaf and Sapphire Amulet, yes?"

The one he assumed was Sapphire Amulet spoke, her voice clipped and harsh. "That is indeed us. You are ready to name my foal, I presume, Namebearer Clearsight?"

The green blur shifted in the likeness of a nod, and moved forward until she was hovering over him. Her head moved even closer, until he was able to see her startling pink eyes, set in an equine face.

Still sucking on the bottle, he stared wide eyed in shock. Clearsight's head tilted until he saw a horn not unlike a unicorn's approach him and tap his own horn, all the while glowing a faint magenta.

She sucked in a deep breath, and spoke. "I see... a glade, bathed in silver light. Ponies, transparent and lost, roam this place. One by one they fade away, leaving only a single figure, cloaked in darkness." She hummed to herself for a moment, deep in thought.

"I name you Spirit Glade."

Silence followed her pronouncement, and Harry was thoroughly spooked and confused. Ponies? Namebearers? Just where was Ha-er... Spirit.

"Yes, well, thank you for your service but my darling and I would like to, hm, ruminate on this name," Sapphire said sarcastically.

A throat was cleared warningly before Diamond spoke. "What my dearest wishes to say, is we would like to thank you very much for naming our foal, Namebearer Clearsight."

"Oh, the pleasure is mine. It is rare I get such a unique name from foals such as yours, born into money and power. They are usually things like Honey Jewel, or Goldendie. Quite boring, really," she said in what from anyone else would have been sardonic, but from her came off as sincere. She sighed. "I suppose I have overstayed my welcome. I best be off, then."

She meandered away, leaving only Spirit, Diamond, Sapphire, and the still unseen maid. Harry lay still in what he now recognized as a crib, listened to the steps of eight feet walk away, not four, and bemoaned the loss of opposable thumbs.

He was still sucking on the bottle though. It was delicious.

* * *

His parents, Spirit soon discovered, were filthy rich. When his eyesight cleared up enough to see, he noticed that his crib was made of fine mahogany, covered in intricate carvings. The mobile above his head that had little crystal animals-all hoofed, he noted-and the maid that took care of him were also contributing factors for this conclusion.

Also, his newfound sight, much better than his past life, allowed him to discover the exact species of the people around him. Or should he say, _ponies_ around him. While he mostly saw unicorns, there were a few regular ponies (as much as sentient, neon colored ponies were regular), as well as pegasi among the multitude of servants that catered to his every need.

Really, he was quite spoiled, if one did not take in the fact he hardly saw his new parents more than once a month. They weren't exactly neglectful or abusive, as he was properly cared for with anything he could ask for, but... They weren't like parents either.

Soon after the Namebearer had left, Harry had mustered the strength to shuffle around, and then finally crawl a few days later. Right now he was a month old and walking around, albeit on four tiny hooves. This had let him finally reach the floor length mirror hanging in his room.

As he gazed in the mirror, the first thing he noticed were his wide baby eyes. He was sure they would end up long lashed and heavy lidded like his mother, as he was already starting to notice he took after her the most. The only thing that didn't match either of his parents was their color, which was a bright emerald green, just like his past life.

His coat was a pale white all over his body, the same as Sapphire. His flank was bare, unlike the other ponies around him. Sapphire had an image of an amulet inlaid with a large baby blue jewel. Diamond, or Diamond Leaf, had the picture of a crystal branch with a few leaves emblazoned on his flank.

The only thing that took after Diamond was his mane color. Wavy and wild like his mother, it was the same rich black as Diamond. Also, it was exactly like his last life's Potter hair.

Aside from being equine, he looked exactly like his past life, which was kind of reassuring.

Spirit was extremely disappointed when he realized he was a unicorn, as he truly adored flying. But then he realized that the unicorns were the equivalent of his worlds wizards and witches, and that made him determined that when he was finally old enough, he was going to _give_ himself wings. _Nothing_ was going to stop him from flying this time around.

As a side effect of his new unicorn status, he was having accidental magic again. So far he had levitated himself in a semblance of flying, turned Sapphire's peacock feather hat a bright orange in one of her rare visits, and made his unicorn doll dance on five separate occasions.

All in all, he was quite proud of himself.

The door to his room opened, and in walked Lydia, his main caregiver. She had a pale blue coat, with a spiky chocolate brown mane, orange eyes, and on her flank a yellow and orange striped baby rattler.

Her horn glowed orange as she lifted him up and checked his diaper, before setting him in a baby chair, or foal chair, and setting a plate of mush in front of him. Levitating a small spoon, she dipped it in and gently coaxed it into his mouth with playful movements and extreme flattery.

"Who's a pretty foal? You are! Yes you are~" she cooed.

Spirit would have eaten it anyway, but... he had to say she was doing his ego wonders.

He opened his mouth, and she fed him bit by bit. When she was done, she checked his diaper again, before wrapping him up in a pale green blanket and levitating him so that he followed her as she left the room.

Spirit was both surprised and excited. So far, he hadn't been let out of that room, but now he was brought to the sight of Sapphire dressed in a dark blue evening gown, and Diamond with a silver tie and black suit. He watched as he was set in a dark green sash wrapped around Sapphire's torso, before they set off.

When they left the mansion, Spirit gazed around eagerly. It was night, and the tall white buildings with purple and gold gilded roofs, the arching windows, and the busy streets he saw through their carriage window, all of it was something new.

It had been a while since he had seen new.

They pulled into a magnificent castle, and as Spirit and his parents waited in a group of similarly dressed ponies, he snuggled deeper into the blanket he was wrapped in.

A stallion stepped forward onto the stage and cleared his throat before speaking. "Fillies and gentlecolts, I, Runescribe, am pleased to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration! May I present, Princess Celestia," he bowed to the audience and backed off the stage.

Suddenly, lights focused on the balcony above, and a large pony stepped out, with a pearl white coat, the mark of the sun on her flank, and a crown with a purple jewel set into her gently shifting mane. She spread open her wings and soared down to the stage as everyone lowered themselves into a bow.

"Thank you all for gathering here today for this momentous occasion. As I lower the moon and stars, and raise the sun, I wish for you to know that as my beloved subjects, I am honored to receive your praise. Let us began!" she spoke regally, smiling down at them.

Spirit watched in awe as her horn glowed-she has a horn and wings how is that possible- and the moon and stars sank below the horizon. She then lifted into the air, and behind her the sun followed suit, highlighting her form in an ethereal glow.

That was the first time Spirit saw an alicorn, holder of ancient magic, and immortal being of Equestria.

 **What do you think? There aren't a lot of stories about this, so I just wanted to write one. Constructive criticism is appreciative! I may not reply though...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Hey! How ya doing? I'm doing great, just saying.**

 **I mentioned this was AU, right? Right.**

 ***Spoiler**

 **Warning: character death, and stuff.**

 **Chapter 2**

 _Time Skip 9 years: He is 9 years old_

Spirit, now a young colt, followed behind his parents as they traversed the streets of Canterlot. His legs were long and slender, his mane was carefully brushed until instead of messy, it was stylishly tousled. His flank was still bare, but his emerald eyes and bone white coat cut a handsome figure.

That, or he looked like a miniature, ponified version of Malfoy. Either or.

Ever since his height reached Sapphire's shoulder, his parents have been taking him out on various outings around Canterlot to introduce him to his fellow 'elites'. Needless to say, Spirit did not speak very much on these outings. Luckily, instead of being offended at his short words, his parents decided he was 'regally stoic' and encouraged this.

To everyone else his parents were posh geniuses of business, but Spirit quite thought that all that status had addled their brains a bit too much.

Right now they were not, in fact, heading out to a get together. Instead his parents were taking him to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns to get enrolled.

It was a very high class school, to his understanding, a lot like Hogwarts in that regard. An academy, it catered to unicorns of the ages 9-18, with strict admission standards. Although most ponies when first enrolled weren't even old enough to have a cutie mark, they still tested difficultly so that only the naturally intelligent and magically gifted got in. Of course, an extra fee could get your foal in as well.

Rather than Hogwarts, Spirit thought it was closer to Durmstrang.

They entered the building that while classy, was a far cry from Hogwarts' mystical halls. As Spirit and his parents waited with the other prospective students and guardians, Sapphire sniffed derisively and scooted Spirit a bit further from the crowd.

One by one ponies were called in, until at last Spirit's name came up.

"Spirit Glade!" an examiner called out, and Spirit stepped forward to be tested, his parents following behind.

He was brought to a room where in front of him stood four judges. They looked at him impatiently as a yellow stallion rolled a cart in front of him, on top of which were three boxes.

"One of these has something inside it. Tell us which it is, and you will pass," an examiner, the red mare with a pink mane, spoke.

"You get three hints," she continued. "Only one of them is true. Think carefully."

Spirit was not overly worried of failing, as he knew his parents would just bribe the judges if that happened, but this test had his competitive side rearing up in challenge. If an actual nine year old could solve this, so could he.

He approached the boxes, and read the first clue stamped on the side of Box one. "It is in me," it read.

Spirit moved on to Box two. "It is not in me," it read.

Curious, Spirit read the inscription on Box three. "It is not in Box one."

Spirit thought about it for a moment, before reaching out towards Box two.

If it were in Box one, two of the inscriptions would be true. If it were in the Box three, another two of the inscriptions would be true. Only in Box two would only one inscription be true.

Spirit wasn't feeling very different about solving this so easily. _Children_ were solving this. If he had failed to solve it, he would be more shocked.

As it was, he opened the second box and stared. Inside it was a small black snake, and as he watched her, she raised her head and opened her mouth to hiss sinisterly, revealing long fangs. _-Touch me and I will bite you-_

Harry hissed back in warning and picked her up, wrapping her around his neck in one smooth motion. - _I'd like to see you try-_

Glancing at the examiners revealed them staring at him in surprise.

"You were supposed to subdue it with magic, but I suppose this works too..." A stallion with a beige coat and green mane muttered thoughtfully.

The mare cleared her throat, nodding to him. "You pass. Feel free to keep the snake. She's an _Atra Mors,_ from the Everfree Forest, and quite venomous. Though I say that, she's only here to scare the more well-learned students. We've neutralized her venom with magic, so she's quite safe."

Meanwhile, said snake had turned her hostility towards the examiners. _-Stupid ponies, sealing my fangs. When Master frees me, I will bite you, just you wait-_

Spirit hissed an amused reply to the snake. _-I will free you, but only if you promise not to bite anyone without my say so. Also, call me Spirit-_

She sulked slightly and burrowed herself into his mane. - _Only because Master Spirit says so-_

Spirit turned towards the examiners, and bowed his head politely. "Thank you. The classic level two pausing spell, yes?"

"Indeed," she affirmed.

Spirit exited the testing room with his parents. While they eyed the snake a bit dubiously, they consented to him keeping her.

"Owning exotic pets is always stylish," Sapphire mused. "I remember having a rare albino squirrel when I was your age. Noisy thing."

Later that night, Spirit rested on his bed and faced the black serpent. Concentrating, a dark grey aura covered his horn, before spreading over the snake. She squirmed before delightedly opening her mouth and sinking her fangs into his pillow.

 _-You need a name-_ He stated once the spell had taken effect and she had stopped trying to bite everything in sight.

- _Whatever Master Spirit wishes-_ she hissed distracted, too focused on her returned venom.

Spirit though about it for a moment, before his lips quirked in wry amusement. _-How about Keira? It means 'little dark one'-_

Keira nodded, before she burrowed herself under the covers. Spirit sighed, his horn glowing as he flicked off the lights, and followed suit.

* * *

 _Time Skip 2 years: He's 11 years old_

Spirit couldn't believe his eyes, heart thumping in his chest and breath shuddering in shock.

It was like any other day. His parents had visited him in his studies, and had dragged him off to socialize with the 'right crowd'. They were riding in a carriage, when at an intersection; another carriage came screeching suddenly around the corner. The stallions pulling it were wide-eyes in fear, snorting wildly as they ran at a neck-breaking speed.

Spirit had seen everything in slow motion when it happened. The two carriages collided, and Sapphire looked up from fixing her mane long enough to scream one long, bloodcurdling note. Then physics were applied and her body was thrown to the side, her mane got caught in the door handle, and her neck was jerked before the door opened and she landed on the road. The other carriage continued forward and finished her injured form with a wheel rolling across her stomach, crushing her spine.

As for Diamond, he lived long enough to see his wife's bloodied form splattered across the cobblestones when Spirit's own small form slammed into him and he fell out, landed on a broken plank from the carriage, and got stabbed in the gut from said plank, all the while cushioning Spirit from the fall.

Spirit gazed, transfixed as the light left Diamond Leaf's eyes. He felt more than saw a silvery mist leave him and his own hoof reached forward to touch it. In that moment, he wished for Diamond to move on, away from this pain. Perhaps he would be reborn in a new body, or live out an eternal dream of success and riches.

* _Flashback_

 _"You are the true master of death, because the true master does not seek to run away from Death. He accepts that he must die, and understands that there are far, far worse things in the living world than dying."_

 _*Flashback end_

Diamond's soul faded from the world, and Spirit felt the weight of wings settle on his back as his Cutie Mark, a circle within a triangle with a line drawn through it, appeared on his flank.

Spirit looked around, taking in the situation. Bystanders were screaming, and the carriage drawing stallions were being subdued by some of Celestia's guards. So far, no one had noticed his new alicorn status.

With only a thought, his wings disappeared from view, still there, but invisible. He was confidant no one would be able to see them now.

After all, the cloak was said to be able to hide from death himself, and he had inherited its powers.

Spirit remained tense, breathing shakily when he realized _his parents were dead and he had used his awakened powers to send them to the afterlife._

Keira rubbed her head soothingly on Spirit's cheek, and he felt himself calm down slightly, only for his eyes to well up with tears as he started crying.

They weren't the best parents, but they were the only parents he ever had.

Everything after that was a blur to Spirit. They took him to a tall building, sat him down in a comfy seat, gave him hot chocolate, and told him they were "-calling your parent's lawyer, so just sit tight for a sec, okay?"

The lawyer arrived in what could have been minutes or hours, he wasn't sure. All Spirit knew was that he had stopped crying and was instead cuddling Keira and staring off into space.

The mare was a pegasus, with a pale green coat, purple mane, and light blue eyes. Her Cutie Mark was a balance scale, and she spoke in a professional, soothing voice.

"Tonight you will stay with a temporary caregiver, but after that you need to decide who you want to stay with. You have several options; you could stay with the Reynals from your father's side or-"

"Rarity," Spirit spoke up, finality in his tone. "I want to stay with Cousin Rarity." He had only heard of her from his mother, but anyone who could live in a small town like Ponyville without antagonizing half the population could not be the same as over the top nobles that seemed to make up all his other family members.

The mare hesitated. Spirit would have asked for her name, but was pretty sure she had already introduced herself when he wasn't paying attention.

"Are you sure? She is quite young, and is already caring for her little sister..." she trailed off, examining the papers in front of her for more information.

Spirit nodded slightly, and Keira flicked out her tongue to brush his cheek in the semblance of a kiss.

"I'm sure," he whispered.

She conceded quickly, and instead focused on the specifics. "I'm not sure we'll be able to contact her today. She seems very busy. It says here that she runs her own boutique, without any employees. Any letters not related to her orders are likely to be put aside for later."

"I can get there by myself. If she refuses, I can just stay with the Apples for a night. They're always willing to host travelers," he said quietly.

She sighed, before rifling through a folder. "You will need to show her these papers and have her sign them..."

* * *

Spirit, with only a bag full of money, his papers, and Keira hidden in his mane, waited at the train stop. Ponyville wasn't a popular destination, so he stood alone, a long row of unused seats behind him.

At last the train came into view. It was long, with each cart uniquely colored and shaped. One cart in particular was lime green with blue roof shingles, and it was this cart Spirit boarded.

The ride took about four hours, with a few slowing moments as it ceded to other trains going towards Manehatten. Spirit took a light nap, his wings shifting as he was forced to rest on his stomach. Keira didn't seem to mind, slithering under his invisible wings and warming herself there.

When Spirit wasn't feeling so depressed, he was going to practice flying. It's been forever since he was last able to feel the wind ruffling his hair...

Now that he thought of it, he wasn't reacting as much as he thought he was going to. His _parents_ just _died,_ and here he was, already dreaming about flying on the wings he earned at his parent's death.

He cared for them, Spirit knew he did. Sure, they were arrogant, obsessed with appearances, and prone to foisting him off on the maids, but they were also the ones who taught him how to talk in high society, made excuses for him when his Potter luck inevitably caused something to blow up during schooling, and gave him everything he could ask for, materialistically. And they had just _died._

But at the same time... They were only dead.

Spirit knew that was supposed to be bad, horrible, tragic even, but he also knew that they had died relatively quickly, had seen with his own eyes their souls pass on, had even guided the process.

Spirit knew death.

It wasn't some horrid unknown that had kidnapped them, some inconceivable torture. Theoretically, Spirit could summon them, or at least their shades, but he also knew that the dead preferred to stay dead, liked sleeping peacefully until they chose to be reincarnated. His parents were happier than they had ever been alive.

 _And that_ , Spirit mused, _was all that mattered_.

Spirit shifted slightly, working out the crick in his neck, and his wings twitched and flapped. _-Move again and I will bite you, Master or not-_ Keira hissed, disgruntled from her sound sleep.

 _-Sorry-_ he hissed back, smiling softly at his companion's irritated grumblings.

Spirit thought carefully on his new alicorn status. Technically, he had just become royalty. He could go to the castle, be bundled up and worshiped until ponies realized he had death powers, than be feared in an obvious and dramatic way.

Kind of like what happened in his past life, just without the basilisk.

Spirit snorted at his own thoughts just as the train slowed to a stop, and he gathered his things, as well as Keira, and exited the train.

He walked and walked until he reached the town square, then walked some more. It was a small community, and Spirit noticed the curious gazes following him around, but largely ignored them. He finally reached a small boutique, and pushed open the door with a jingling sound.

"Coming," a high and ladylike voice drifted from the backroom, and out of it stepped a beautiful unicorn. Her mane and tail was amethyst purple and curled stylishly, her coat a silky white and her eyes a periwinkle blue. On her flank the image of three blue gems stood out, complementing her coloring.

Spirit decided that this was the most gorgeous pony he had ever seen.

He cleared his throat, and Keira remained stone still under his mane. "Are you Rarity? I'm Spirit. I've..." he trailed off awkwardly, summoning his papers from his bag. "I've come to live with you."

* * *

 **What did you think for the second chapter? Also, I mentioned this was AU? Therefore, any OOCness is just the AU? _*cough_ *excuse* _cough*_ Just saying. AU.**

 **In case you couldn't tell, I totally killed off Rarity's parents. I just didn't like them enough to keep them, and they weren't very instrumental to the plot, so...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Writing is hard. Suggestions are appreciated.**

 **Last chapter: "Are you Rarity? I'm Spirit. I've..." he trailed off awkwardly, summoning his papers from his bag. "I've come to live with you."**

 **Chapter 3**

"...eh?" Rarity said weakly, a baffled look coming over her features.

Spirit couldn't possibly feel more out of place then he did in that moment, and he awkwardly lowered his head to hide behind his mane, which was uncharacteristically wild and spiky. He was never able to tame it by himself and mostly relied on the servants to fix it, but he had set off early this morning before he could be attended to.

"You... remember Sapphire Amulet? I am Spirit Glade, her son...?" he said, not meeting her eyes. "They... they died, and... um..." He telekinetically passed her the papers, which she accepted, her own horn glowing a light turquoise.

His next words came out in a rush, desperate to be said. "You will be reimbursed, of course, they left a lot of money which you will have access to, but if you don't want to take me in I understand because-"

He was interrupted by a tight hug, unable to protest as she squeezed him tightly, and he desperately raised his wings away from his body before she could discover them.

"Oh you poor, poor darling!" she wailed, before dragging him to a door that she opened to reveal a staircase.

"Go ahead and stay as long as you like, we have an extra room upstairs. I'll decorate it for you, and I have a little sister around your age, she can show you around Ponyville. If you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask us, and please, make yourself right at home! Oh, I have to tell Twilight this _..._ " Rarity paused suddenly, and made an abrupt turn, switching directions.

"You must have rode the train here all by yourself! Did you eat anything? Oh, of course you didn't, you're as skinny as a rake! Here, let me make you something to eat," she said in a flurry of words.

Spirit could only stay silent as she proceeded to fuss over him and stuff him full of food until he though he would burst. Keira stayed hidden underneath his mane the entire time. When Rarity finally realized the time, she went as far as to tuck him in with a kiss on his brow as she told him tonight. Spirit couldn't remember the last time someone had done that for him.

Before he drifted off to sleep, Spirit ran a hoof over his Cutie Mark, feeling the slightly coarser fur that made up the dark markings. He then touched his wings, feeling the feathers curiously.

 _Now I know why Hedwig kept pecking me whenever I tried to pet her there,_ he shivered, quickly burrowing under his blankets after removing a curious hoof from under his wing.

Spirit relaxed into bed, sighing contently. Keira had already removed herself from his neck and was curled under his pillow, fast asleep. Although the bed was unfamiliar, he was quite tired from his journey and was quickly succumbing to darkness.

 _She felt warm,_ he thought sleepily, a memory of a tight embrace curling his lips into a smile.

* * *

 _Ah, awkwardness, how I've missed you,_ Spirit thought sardonically.

The morning started off innocently enough. He had futilely tried to brush his mane, double checked to make sure his wings were invisible, and had hidden Keira under said mane before exiting his room, which was when he ran into a young filly. With a thumping sound they made contact and bounced off each other, landing on their behinds. Shaking his head, Spirit examined who he had bumped into.

She was young, around his age he guessed. Her mane was curly, with swirls of light pink and lavender, and her eyes were a light, spring green. Her coat was a pale alabaster, leading him to believe this was the little sister Rarity had mentioned.

She stared at him in confusion, her voice high and childish. "Um... Who are you?"

"Spirit Glade. Your cousin," he said haltingly, before taking a deep, calming breath. When he next spoke, his voice was once more smoothly controlled. "Terribly sorry for bumping into you like that."

Her eyes widened with understanding. "It's fine! I'm Sweetiebelle... Hey, it's breakfast time, c'mon!" she said suddenly, racing down the hall. Spirit saw that she seemed rather eager to leave the conversation, and wondered if Rarity had spoken to her while he was asleep.

Spirit followed after her at a more sedate pace, but sped up when a delicious smell reached him, causing his stomach to growl in hunger. He entered the kitchen, to the sight of Rarity setting the table with a delicious English spread.

All together like this, Spirit couldn't help but compare himself to them, looking for the familial connection.

They all had pale coats, but compared to Rarity's smooth silk and Sweetiebelle's cloudy white, his was like bone, standing in stark contrast with his inky black hair that seemed to suck in the light around it. It seemed even worse with his alicorn status, a haunting paleness lining his fur. Compared to them, he felt threatening and dark where they were light and goodness.

At least he knew his eyes were recessive. Sweetibelle's may be a different shade, but they too were were a jewel-like green.

Together, they sat down and began eating, but not before Spirit thanked Rarity for the meal.

"It's no problem, Darling. Please, dig in," she said encouragingly. Spirit noticed she kept glancing at him with sympathy, and guessed that the office's letter had reached her, along with the specific details of how his parent's died, and just _who_ witnessed it. Spirit kind of wished it didn't. He hated pity.

There was silence except for the sound of silverware clinking and chewing food. This continued until Rarity put down her fork and gave him a slightly strained smile, as if she was desperately looking for a conversation topic all that time. Spirit was no help in that department, preferring to leave the reigns to other ponies when it came to speaking.

"So you were in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, Darling? I remember having to sign something about transferring you," she explained.

Sweetiebelle also gave him an interested look, and Spirit prepared himself to make smalltalk. It was as good a topic to break the ice as anything, he supposed.

"I was enrolled, yes," he confirmed.

Rarity's delicate brows drew down as she bit her lip, looking confused and contemplative. "Why did you leave? Celestia's School is the best in Equestria. Wasn't there a long distance program you could take?"

"There was," Spirit agreed, "but they all required intense study and complete focus. When I lived in the dorms, it was not problem. Here, though..." he trailed off, invisible wings shuffling. "I didn't want to spend all day cooped up in my studies like I was. I want some free time to myself," he finished.

Rarity nodded, before she suddenly straightened in her seat, an expression of realization crossing her features.

"Oh, I almost forgot! You will be attending the Ponyville Schoolhouse tomorrow. Today is Sunday, and you get the weekend off, you see," she told him.

Spirit nodded in understanding, and Sweetiebelle piped up her own inquiry. "Where did you get your Cutie Mark? I've never seen one like yours." She leaned towards him, eyes shining in anticipation.

Rarity gave her a look, which Spirit thought he could understand. It _was_ a bit rude to ask straight out like that.

Spirit thought back to the moment he became an alicorn, guiding his father's soul to the next world with a thought, feeling wings where there were previously none, having the mark of the Deathly Hallows appear on his flank...

Becoming the Master of Death again...

Spirit glanced down, throat suddenly tight. "Very recently," he said vaguely.

There was a quiet yelp, and he glanced up to see Sweetiebelle rubbing her head as Rarity glared at her. Said filly looked adorably confused, not quite getting the hidden connotation in his words.

By then their plates were empty, and Spirit left his seat before levitating his plate to the sink and washing it. Technically he could have done that sitting down, as the sink was right in sight, but one wasn't supposed to use magic at the table if they weren't trying to make a point.

"Oh no, Darling, you don't have to do that," Rarity levitated her own plate as she tried to convince him to leave it to her.

"It's fine," Spirit said shortly. "The least I can do, for what you've done for me," he amended.

Once the dishes were put away and Rarity had to open her store, Sweetiebelle began nudging him forcefully towards the staircase, practically bouncing in eagerness.

"Oh, I can't wait to introduce you to my friends!" She immediately exclaimed once they were on the street as she guided him. "There's Scootaloo, and she's really cool! She's a pegasus and when she flaps her wings, her scooter goes super fast, like she's flying!" she praised.

"Why doesn't she just fly then?" Spirit pointed out logically. By then, they were racing down the street, Spirit keeping pace easily with the small unicorn.

Her enthusiasm dimmed slightly, eyes losing their sparkle. "She just doesn't."

She continued as if nothing happened, switching topics. "Then there's Applebloom! She lives on Sweet Apple Acre, she's of the Apple family you see, and she has this humongous pink bow she always wears on her head! And she has an accent, like you, but not the same kind of accent. It's like... all slurred and long, and yours is clipped and breathy but not like Rarity's, you know?" she tried to explain, almost running into a stallion. The teal pegasus dodged just in time, before with a huff pushing himself into the air with his wings.

"Sorry Mister Thunder Sir!" she called after him, but quickly resumed her dash.

"It's a Canterlot accent, where I'm from everyone has them. To me, _you're_ the one with an accent," he said, amused. He had to forcefully restrain the urge to let his wings open and carry him as he jumped a wagon, but he shook of the unsatisfied feeling quickly.

Suddenly, a thought struck Spirit. "Where are we going, anyway?"

Sweetiebelle skidded to a stop, and Spirit's forward momentum caused him to crash into her with a muffled oath.

As they picked themselves up from the ground, Sweetiebelle answered him cheerfully. "Right here!"

Walking towards a building covered in confectionery decorations, she pushed open the door with a jingling sound and Spirit resignedly followed after her.

Spirit glanced around the welcoming interior as Sweetiebelle happily moved towards a back table. Sitting there was a pegasus and an Earth pony, both of whom were chatting animatedly with one another. Spirit hesitated, but soon enough approached the group of friends as they greeted Sweetiebelle.

"-and this is my cousin, Spirit Glade!" she was saying when Spirit finally joined them. "He's staying at my place from now on, so introduce yourselves, okay?"

The Earth pony was the first to do so, hopping out of the booth and smiling widely. "Hi, I'm Applebloom! Let's be friends!" she said with what Spirit recognized as the Southern accent Sweetiebelle was talking about. Her coat was creamy butter, and her mane was apple red. In it was a bright pink ribbon, and her eyes were a mix of her mane and coat, all shining violet orange.

The pegasus went next, leaping athletically to the floor and giving him a daredevil smirk. "Scootaloo, of the Cutie Mark Crusaders," was all she said. With violet hair, purple eyes, and a burnt orange coat, she was the image of a rough and tumble tomboy.

Spirit smiled slightly. With forewarning, nothing could penetrate his perfect manners to see the social anxiety carefully hidden underneath.

He made sure to hold himself confidently as he spoke. First impressions were important, after all. "As Sweetiebelle said, my name is Spirit Glade, but please feel free to call me Spirit. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," he said evenly.

Of course, at that exact moment Keira decided to make herself known by slithering out from under his mane and wrapping herself around his horn.

 _-And I am Master Spirit's Keira-_ she hissed.

They watched, one with amusement and the other exasperation, as all three fillies flinched back in surprise. Scootaloo slipped as she did so and fell to the floor, ruining her earlier cool mood.

Applebloom recovered quickly and leaned forward, eyeing the snake carefully. "That there be a rattler around your horn, Spirit?" she asked.

Spirit snorted in dark amusement before he answered. "Technically, she's an _Atra Mors,_ but don't worry. She doesn't bite."

 _Much,_ he added silently.

"I've never heard of a snake like _that_ ," Scootaloo said, pointing emphatically with a hoof.

"She's from the Everfree forest, so that might be why," Spirit said. Defensively, he lifted her from his horn and wrapped her loosely around his neck, where she was partially hidden in his hair.

That seemed to be the wrong thing to say. All three of them stared in awe, with Scootaloo looking intrigued and Applebloom nervous. Sweetiebelle seemed the most scared of the three of them, blanching in shock.

"The _Everfree forest?!_ " she whisper-screamed, looking terrified.

"That is _so cool,_ " Scootaloo said, leaning forward to get a closer look.

"Are ye sure that be safe?" Applebloom said carefully. "It ain't a very nice place."

Spirit tilted his head, emerald eyes curious. "What do you mean?"

Scootaloo looked more than happy to explain, her voice pitching ominously. "I heard the weather over there appears by itself, with _nopony_ guiding it."

" _I_ heard the plants tend themselves, too," Applebloom said, sliding a hoof against her leg in an unconscious movement.

They all turned to Sweetiebelle, who floundered for a moment under their stares. "Um... I heard the animals their, _eat_ each other," she murmured.

The three gasped, turning towards Keira fearfully. Keira, who had had quite enough of the ponies' rudeness in the face of her polite greeting, hissed at them threateningly before hiding herself once again in his mane, sulking.

"While that may be true," Spirit said, more than amused, "Keira is quite satisfied with magical sustenance. She's a Familiar species, you know."

"Oooh..." The three relaxed, nodding in understanding. It was common knowledge that Familiars were able to live off their master's magic once they've bonded fully.

Once they all finally settled down with a platter of sugar cookies and gathered in the booth, Applebloom easily took charge of the conversation.

"Let's get to know each other! I'll start first," she said and cleared her throat. "I like drawing, and arts and crafts. I've got an older sister, her name's Applejack. There's also my big brother, Big McIntosh, and Granny Smith. Together, we tend the apple farm over yonder," she gestured animatedly.

Attention turned to Scootaloo, who sat beside her. " _Well,_ " she said with relish, a smirk appearing on her face. " _My_ sister's name is Rainbowdash, and she's the fastest flyer in Ponyville, no, in Equestria! As for me, I like riding my scooter around town and I'm pretty decent at a bunch of sports, if I say so myself."

Sweetiebelle went next, pausing in her munching of sugar cookies. "I like to sing, but not in front of people. Um... I'm not very good at sewing and stuff, even though Rarity, my older sister, is a seamstress."

Spirit nodded along to all their introductions, and reached a hood up to stroke Keira habitually. "Before moving here, I lived with my parents in Canterlot. I also attended Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns there. I guess you could say I like magic," Spirit finished softly.

"What kind of magic?" Applebloom asked engagingly. Spirit noticed that she seemed the most talkative of the three.

He thought about it, and shrugged. "Just... Magic. More practical application than theory, though, because I like how it feels when I manipulate it."

They nodded, before Sweetiebelle spoke up eagerly.

"What was Canterlot like?" she asked.

Spirit's eyes had a far away look as he thought back to his 'native' city. "Very busy, for starters," he began. "Carriages bustle down every street and taxis race each other for bits. There are a lot more unicorns as well, compared to Ponyville. The population is heavily weighted, with Earth ponies being the other dominant type. Still not as much as unicorns, but more than pegasus," he explained. "Everyone there is pretty wealthy, too. I've noticed a lot of Cutie Marks are things that are either expensive or scholarly in nature, probably because of the large amount of unicorns."

Sweetiebelle smiled, and Applebloom made agreeable noises. Scootaloo was fidgeting the entire time he was speaking, and burst into action when he finished. She leapt onto the table and spread her wings dramatically, positioning her face a few inches from his own.

"As for _us,_ we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" she said proudly.

"Together, we search for our Cutie Mark everyday!" Sweetiebelle chirped.

"So join our club!" Applebloom finished, giving him an expectant look.

"How long have you been practicing that?" Spirit deadpanned.

"A few months. Applebloom wanted to make sure our sales pitch was perfect when we're recruiting," Sweetiebelle clarified.

"Can he even join us?" Scootaloo said skeptically, now sitting sedately in her seat. "I mean, he's got a Cutie Mark already."

"That doesn't mean he can't help us find ours," Applebloom pointed out.

"If you say so..." Scootaloo capitulated, eyeing him suspiciously.

Applebloom slid out of the booth and trotted off. "Come on, let's show Spirit around Ponyville," she called over her shoulder.

 **I feel... Dirty. Writing tips anyone? I feel like this is just a filler chapter... *sigh.**

 ***Warning: Spoiler**

 **I want to make the OC shipped with Spirit a Zebra. Any name suggestions? I'm thinking to make his personality mature and soothing, and he'll be pretty large by Zebra standards (he's the seme).**


End file.
